Red Guardian
by bluelily3
Summary: On a violent battlefield against dangerous aliens, Giroro Gocho and Kururu Socho fight to stay alive. Kururu is seriously injured, and Giroro must get help, or the army will be minus a brilliant ops officer.


The enemy was thick, and still coming. Giroro Gocho had held them off mainly by himself for two hours. He was able to go full throttle when he hadn't had to watch Keroro's back anymore. Keroro was a good fighter, but he was easily taken down when there was too much enemy fire. His mind was only wired to handle three or four at the most, which was pretty decent. Pretty decent if you weren't Giroro Gocho, the number one best sharp shooter on Keron. He had taken out more of the enemy then he could count, but now he was wounded and weak. These aliens were stronger than him if he wasn't packing all the artillery. And they were smart. They weren't some group of inept blockheads that Giroro could just bowl over. These guys were big and swift.

He started to wish (not for the first time that day) that Natsumi was there to fight with him. The two had finally gotten together after years of unrequited love when she turned into a Keronian with Kururu's technology. She could chose to be in both forms, which was handy, since she was going to college. The whole platoon had left behind a woman they loved, except for Dororo, who had his fighting along side him.

Giroro was panting heavily while there was a lull on the field. He knew he didn't have much time. He could hear more of them coming. He held up his wrist and pressed a button on the communicator. It was connected directly to Kururu, who was engaged in an air-mecha battle. He hated to distract him, but it couldn't be helped.

"Socho, come in."

"Right here, Senpai."

"I need backup. The enemy is strong and there are more."

There was a pause.

"Ku, ku. Negative."

"What do you mean, negative! This is no time to play tricks on me, you bastard! I need help!"

"There are too many headed your way, Senpai."

"That's why I need backup!"

"There is no backup available."

"What?! What about my brother? Where is he?"

"Garuru Chui is out of range. As are you. You fought your way out into no man's la- Eh... Hold on." Giroro heard enemy fire and the connection crackling. He waited a few moments.

"Kururu? Are you there?" There was still silence, then he was back.

"I'm headed your way, but I've been hit, so it may take longer then anticipated."

"Is it bad?" Giroro's heart plummeted. He had never seen Kururu mortally injured in battle, and he hoped he never would. The guy as like a rock, someone he counted on. They had known each other since they were kids. In fact, Giroro was pretty sure he had babysat him a few times. He'd never forget how much of a challenge that was. The two had become close friends over the years. They were opposites, but somehow that worked for them.

"Nothing I can't handle, Giroro. Just stay alive. I'm coming. Ku, ku!" The transmission ended. Giroro wasn't so sure. He had sounded out of breath. He hoped he was just tired from all the fighting and not wounded. Keroro had been taken out of the fight because of his wounds. It was nothing serious, but he had become hysteric and needed to be removed from the field. Giroro was used to it. It happened nearly every time he fought alongside his childhood friend. He had always had a dramatic flair, and couldn't focus on the business at hand. When it came to serious matters in battle, he depended on Kururu Socho. Despite his reputation for being unstable, he knew how to keep a straight head on the battleground.

Just when the enemy was coming close again, and Giroro scored a few more shots, he heard the low hum of an aircraft. It had Kururu's insignia on it, and he sighed with relief. He narrowed his eyes when he saw how badly damaged it was. Smoke poured from the bottom left side, where the engine thrusters were, and the craft wobbled a bit in the air. As it got closer to where Giroro was, it dipped dangerously, and the soldier bit his lip.

"Pull up, pull up!" He whispered frantically. If Kururu killed himself in a crash to rescue him from the field, he would never get over it. But the craft stabilized and landed smoothly. However, all of the enemies that had been standing by to attack Giroro changed direction, flooding towards Kururu's craft. Giroro felt a burst of energy, and started running towards the spot. The socho had landed only a few short yards away. As he got closer, he slowed down. The air-mecha was swamped. The enemy was crawling all over it like ants on a hill. It looked like the rescue might be the other way around. It was a solo craft, so his friend didn't have anyone to watch his back.

"Anyone besides me." He whispered. "Hang on, man." He was about to charge in when the door hissed open. Kururu stood his ground. He appeared to be weaponless, and Giroro could feel the enemy forces waiting to pounce. But the officer's hands flew up to his headgear and the antennae sprang from them. Giroro clasped his own hands over his ears. He knew how deadly the socho's waves could be. The invisible wave floated over all of them, and Giroro watched as they grabbed their heads and screamed. Blood came out of noses and ears. Kururu was using his most powerful death wave. When the enemy was all down, he stood up straighter and snapped his headphones back into place.

"Ku, ku, ku! That's the end of them." Giroro laughed and started towards him.

"Nice job. But how are we going to get out of here?"

"I can make the repairs on my craft, then we should be able to squeeze you in somewhere. Maybe you can hang on to the wing. Ku, ku!"

"Yeah, funny. Okay, you repair it, and I'll watch your-" He was cut off by a loud boom, and a blinding flash of purple erupted from somewhere out of the sky. A ray plummeted towards them at a frightening speed. Giroro threw himself to the ground, hoping that Kururu had the sense to do the same. He knew he had seen it, too. _He'll put a shield up, or something. _He said to himself. But hadn't his back been turned? He'd already been sizing up the damage on his mecha. Then he heard a horrifying sound. A choked shriek and the heavy thud of a fallen body. In the sky, something flew off, and was gone before Giroro could stand up. His legs shook underneath him. _Kururu. _His eyes scanned furiously across the field until he saw a flash of yellow. It was quickly turning red. Giroro swallowed bile and ran towards his fallen comrade. How could this have happened? Kururu didn't get hit. He was too brilliant and quick. He'd entered boot camp at age twelve, and swiftly ascended to Major at age fifteen. He was practically immortal. When he reached his side, his stomach tightened. The ray had blasted into Kururu's belly. A Keronian's weak spot. This enemy had known what it was doing. Keronians could get hit almost anywhere else, even on the head. But their belly was the most vulnerable spot. It held most of their organs. It was the reason why their heads were so big, to provide a larger target. A distraction from the weak spot.

Kururu was laying in a puddle of his own blood, and his small hands were frantically trying to plug the opening. He whimpered and babbled incoherently. Giroro dropped to his knees beside him, trying to ignore the warm feel of the growing puddle. He quickly summoned medical supplies from super space. He knew basic field medicine, and he knew how to act quickly. He ignored the voice in the back of his head that kept repeating the learned words over and over. "A belly wound seals your doom." Kururu had always scoffed at the rhyme. He could still remember his shrill child's voice.

"Stupid. It doesn't even rhyme. And who's going to let their belly go unprotected? I certainly won't die that way."

Giroro tried not to see the irony of it. He worked fast to slow his friend's bleeding by using a tourniquet.

"Kururu, can you hear me?" No response. He had slipped into unconsciousness.

"I've got you. I'm not gonna let you die." When he had gotten the tourniquet tightly tied and the blood flow slowed down, he worked on the wound. The blast had wiped out his entire insignia. Luckily, they grew back, as they were part of their skin. Only Keroro's star was so easily removed, and Giroro had no idea why.

The wound was hard to manage, since it needed to be stitched badly. He did his best at disinfecting it, then bound it in a clean cloth from the medical kit. He leaned back on his knees and studied Kururu's still form. His chest moved, but not as much as it should. He raised his communicator to his mouth. He needed Pururu. He had no doubt that she'd be swamped with other wounded soldiers, but at least Kururu was important. They didn't have many ops officers who were as skilled as him. After a few agonizing moments, he contacted Pururu.

"Chief Medic, do you read me?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"Giroro Gocho. I have a situation. One of my comrades is wounded badly. He won't last long if I don't help, fast." Pururu paused.

"We've administered to Keroro Gunso and Zeroro-"

"It's Kururu. Please..."

"I'm sending help. I'm really busy, but I'll try to help you out too. Did you check his pulse?"

"Not yet." Giroro pressed his thumb down on Kururu's limp wrist.

"Oh, and Giroro, don't use your thumb. It's your first two fingers." Giroro nearly laughed. She didn't even have a visual on him, but she knew he had done it wrong.

"What does it feel like? Fast or slow?"

"Really slow." He heard her take a breath.

"Okay. Now look at his eyes." Giroro blanched.

"But it's Kururu. I've never even seen-"

"Do you care about his life?"

"Of course I care about-"

"Then look at his eyes. We need to know his vitals. The worse off he is, the faster I can send a med unit."

"He was blasted in the belly by a giant ray! Is that 'worse off' enough for you?!"

"Okay, Giroro. They're on their way. Just make sure he's breathing, and he still has a pulse."

"What if he doesn't?"

"Do you know how to resuscitate him?"

"You mean, mouth-to-mouth?"

"Yes, Giroro. Unless you want him to die... He'd be unconscious anyway, don't be childish. Look, I'm in over my head here. Just hang tight. They'll get there shortly."

Soon, Giroro could hear the medical team by their shouts.

"Hustle, men! We've got an officer in a critical state over here!" They rushed over and practically pushed Giroro down. He watched as they took his vitals, and almost turned away when they pried his glasses off. Curiosity got the better of him. He had never seen Kururu's eyes before. The rumors were true; they _were _green. They also looked cloudy, like a veil was covering them.

"Ah, Socho. He's goin' down, the yellow devil." One of the medics piped up.

"What a loss..." The second one said, sarcastically.

"Well, we _do _need him."

"Yeah, his brains. Could do without the rest of him, though." Some of them laughed, and Giroro reloaded his gun. He pointed it at the first one who commented.

"Kururu Socho has served Keron well. Now do your job and MOVE!" The medic yelped and they all picked up the stretcher quickly.

"If I hear any more bad remarks about my comrade, I'll shoot. And it won't be a waste of a bullet!" The medical team scrambled, practically held under hostage by Giroro. They got to the white tents in half the time they would have.

Giroro had expected to feel relieved when they got to the medical station, but it was just the opposite. The tents were cramped with soldiers and officers, most of them critical. Kururu was just one out of many, and the fact that he wasn't liked by many people was a huge disadvantage here. Being a good person not only got you popularity points, it could also save your life. Giroro thought that he'd at least get attention because of his rank, but no one cared anymore that he was a Major years before. He frantically searched for Pururu. When he caught sight of her, she was across the tent, among a group of very high-ranking officers. Even Pururu couldn't stop saving a captain's life for Kururu.

He bent over his friend. He was sweating with fever and muttering to himself. When he started writhing enough to make the wound bleed again, Giroro clasped his shoulders to keep him still. As he bent over him, he felt tiny short puffs of air on his face. He wasn't breathing hard enough. The air made pathetic hissing sounds through his teeth. Combined with his whimpering, it was almost more than he could handle. Then he heard him whisper.

"Papa..."

A slow rage built inside of Giroro. Kururu was dying, and no one wanted to help him. Yes, he could be cruel, even malicious, but he was important. He had a family. He thought of Aki and Kirara, waiting on Pekopon for him to come back to them. They loved him. He was part of their world. Kururu was a clever little puzzle that only a handful of people had the pieces to. Aki Hinata knew how to put those pieces together. If Kururu didn't make it, Giroro would have to tell Aki what happened. He wanted to die along with him when he imagined what her face would look like. And Kirara... That little girl should not have to lose her daddy. The two had a special bond.

Giroro's fingers curled into fists. He'd find someone to help him if it was the last thing he did. Suddenly he saw a flash of green. Keroro. He had the Star. They would listen to him. His eyes scanned the crowd. He knew he needed to look harder, but he couldn't leave Kururu. There had been no empty beds when they arrived, and after the medics had gotten him as stable as they could, they left him. He was still on the floor on a stretcher, and Giroro had to make sure no one stepped on him. He heard a wet choking sound. Kururu gasped, and blood bubbled between his teeth. His hands made weak circles in the air. His shattered glasses had been left on the field, and now he was blind as well as dying. Giroro knew he was sensitive about his eyes, but he couldn't help looking into them. When he saw fear reflected in them, he tried not to look away.

"Can't...see...Where...?"

"I'm here, Kuru-san."

"G-Giroro...? Am I...?"

"You're in a med tent. I'm gonna get you some help, but it might take time. No one is listening."

"Taicho. F-Find Tai...cho..."

"Exactly what I was thinking." He lay a hand on Kururu's forehead.

"You're gonna be okay."

"Belly wound...s-seals your-"

"No. Stop that. That's not gonna happen. I'll look after you."

"I-I'm so cold...Senpai..." His eyes pleaded. Giroro looked around until he saw a lifeless from nearby. Gritting his teeth, he snatched the thick blanket off him. It had a few bloody spots on it, but it didn't matter. He had to keep Kururu warm. He pressed the cloth around his body, and a vague memory stirred in him. When they were young, Giroro used to tuck Kururu into bed. He had been no more than a baby back then. As he looked down on his vulnerable body, so much like when he was little, he felt like the young socho was his brother. He felt like he himself was the older brother, like Garuru was for him. He was there to look out for him. He was Kururu's guardian. He had to make sure he lived. He had to find Keroro. He searched frantically, wishing he could move around the tent. But he wouldn't leave Kururu. He startled when he saw him thrust a finger into the air.

"There!" Kururu shouted. Surprisingly, he almost sounded lucid.

"What?" Giroro was frightened. Either he was delirious, or he was starting to see apparitions from the afterlife.

"Taicho. He's over there." He sounded so confident that Giroro's heart leaped. Then he remembered that Kururu's glasses were gone.

"You're _blind, _you idiot! You can't see where Keroro is!"

"Ku, ku, ku..." His familiar laugh sounded like his last. Giroro shuddered.

"He's there...Look...for yourself..." The corporal turned in the direction Kururu's finger pointed, and he narrowed his eyes. Less than a yard away, he saw Keroro.

"How did you know?"

"Waves... I can... sense..."

"Got it. The waves. Don't use all your energy."

Keroro looked lost. He was staring off into the distance, disturbed by all the carnage. He looked like he was trying to find the way out.

"He's frightened...Call out...to him...Giroro..."

"Okay, okay. Just don't talk anymore. You're getting weaker."

"Ku..." He nodded his head very slightly and closed his eyes.

Giroro shouted Keroro's name. He didn't seem to hear him.

"Dang it. I wish we had a Gunpla to wave at him."

"Ku, ku..." Kururu's laugh turned into a cough. Giroro shouted again, louder this time. The sergeant heard his voice this time, and his head turned in their direction. His cheeks flushed with relief, and he came hurrying forward. He stumbled into a few people, but ignored them like he was sleepwalking.

"Giroro! I'm so glad you I found you! But you look okay. Why are you in the med t- Oh, crap! OH, CRAP! KURURU!" He dropped to his knees.

"Oh, Kuru-kun... This is bad... This is really-"

"Keroro!" Giroro shouted. "You're not helping! He needs you to get help. I know everyone will listen to you. Now, get someone to save his life!"

"But there's so much...it's scary in here..." Giroro looked like he was about to burst a blood vessel, but Kururu stayed deathly calm. He knew what needed to be done even when his life was draining away from him.

"Taicho." He whispered.

"Kuru? What do I do?"

"Get somewhere...high. Like a table..."

"Okay...?"

"Then...shout over the...noise...Show them...your star...Use your...influence..." He choked and more blood appeared on his mouth. Keroro closed his eyes and shuddered.

"All right, Socho." He looked at Giroro.

"There's an empty space on that table over there, Keroro. Go stand on it." Keroro nodded. He started towards the table slowly, his legs shaking. Kururu made a strangled noise like his lungs were giving out. Giroro kicked Keroro in the butt.

"Hurry up!" Keroro almost flew over to the table. Then he struggled to climb on the edge, failing to pull his own body weight. Giroro felt like he was going to have a heart attack. He cursed.

"Idiot!" He saw Kururu's head loll to the side. He was either unconscious or dead. The corporal pointed his gun at a random doctor.

"You. Help me with this stretcher. We're going over to the table." The doctor's hands shook as he grabbed his end of the gurney.

"Yes, s-sir."

Giroro went as fast as he could, butting people with his head when they stood in his way. When they got to the table, he pushed Keroro up, (who had still been dangling there, peddling the air with his legs) knocked over all the medical supplies with one swipe of his arm, and jumped up next to his friend.

"Hey, this guy doesn't have a pulse." The doctor piped up. Keroro swore under his breath. Giroro took a deep breath, then shouted like a drill master.

"Everyone listen UP! I've got Keroro Gunso here! He needs your help!" All the Keronians in the tent turned in their direction. They started whispering.

"Gunso? Did he say Gunso?"

"The one with the Star?"

"Keroro Taicho!"

Giroro jumped down off the table and motioned to the doctor.

"Help me get him up on the table." They lifted the stretcher, and Giroro thought it felt lighter then before. Kururu had gone completely still, and he was the pale yellow of a moon. Giroro gritted his teeth. He narrowed his eyes at Keroro.

"Oh, uh...Yes! I am Keroro Gunso, bearer of the Keron Star. Everyone listen to me! One of my platoon members is dying! He needs medical attention right away!" Across the tent, Pururu jumped into action. She had been thinking about Giroro's desperate message before, but there had been so many other patients. Now she led a group of doctors and surgeons. They confirmed that Kururu didn't have a pulse and wheeled over a crash cart. When they started using the electric paddles, Keroro turned away, and Giroro could see his shoulders shaking. He wanted to comfort him, but his eyes were riveted on the screen. He willed the flat line to jump.

"Come on, Kururu. Come ON..." He whispered. He thought he heard Kururu's eerie laugh in his ear, and he really hoped it was his imagination. Five minutes passed, and the line remained flat.

"All right, come here you little blueberry. It's bath time." Kururu felt himself being lifted, and he didn't struggle. He liked bath time. He liked the Red One. Others had watched him before. They had fed him, given him baths, but he liked the Red One the best. He cooed with delight when he was lowered into the warm, bubbly water. He sang to himself.

"Ku, ku, ku! Baboo-bee! Baboo-bee!" The strong hands poured water over his head and rubbed in the soap. He enjoyed the squeaky sound of his own bare head.

"Baboo-bee!" He splashed in the water, and the Red One chuckled.

"You really do look like a blueberry. It's a nice color, though. I like blue."

"Kee, kee!" The Red One liked his color. Kururu liked red. He liked bath time. He wanted to stay like this forever. He felt himself slipping underneath the water. He didn't mind. It felt nice. He sank down, down, down until he was floating in warmth and light. Then he felt hands all over him. He heard the Red One's voice shouting at him.

"Come on, Kururu! Wake up! Come back! Kururu!" He didn't understand. He liked it here. Why should he have to leave? It was peaceful and warm. He was a baby...only a baby. Nothing to worry about. No responsibilities. All play and no work. He felt the Red One's hand's pulling him up and out of the water. But the water was warm. He'd be cold out there. But maybe the Red One would wrap him in a towel. He'd like that. He laughed.

"Ku, ku, ku!"

"Come back, Kururu..."

Kururu opened his eyes. He could see again. Someone must have found his glasses. Everything hurt to look at. It was too bright and his body felt like it had been squeezed by a Nyroro. He wanted to go back to the warm place. Back to the Red...Giroro. The Red One was Giroro. He had forgotten that, all those years ago, his favorite babysitter had been Giroro. No wonder he felt safe around him. He tried to sit up, but a blinding pain blazed down his middle. He cried out.

"Kyaa!"

The sound seemed to make everything come alive. Suddenly Giroro and Keroro were there. They looked so happy. Could it be because of him? Did he make them happy?

"Hey, careful. Don't move too much." Keroro said. He smiled at Kururu.

"Whew. You really freaked us out. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you did that on purpose."

"Idiot." Giroro frowned. "No one can almost die on purpose. Not even Kururu."

"Giroro! Don't tell him he almost died!"

"I didn't." Kururu spoke up.

"Well, actually..." Giroro pinched Keroro.

"I did die. And I wanted to stay dead too. But someone brought me back." He turned his head, looking at Giroro.

"You wanted to stay there? Wasn't it dark and scary?"

"Keroro, you idiot... You don't know what you're-"

"No. It was warm and peaceful. I was just a baby... And Giroro was with me."

"Wait, what? Kuru, you're even crazier now than before you were shot, man."

"A baby?" Giroro scratched his head. "Warm and...Were you in the water?"

"Ku, ku. Yes. It was bubbly."

"I think he's still doped up, Giroro."

"No, I don't think so. He had a memory."

"What?"

"I used to babysit Kururu. I gave him baths."

"You what? Ha, ha. That's cute. And he remembered it?"

"I wanted to stay there. But I heard your voice, Giroro."

"Well, I was getting pretty pissed when you wouldn't breathe. Don't do that again."

"Yes, Senpai." Kururu smiled at Giroro, showing all his teeth. Keroro laughed.

"Okay, guys. Let's just be glad that Kururu's alive."

"Wait," Giroro spoke up. "Where are Tamama and Dororo?"

"I don't know. Hey, let's go find them!"

"Nah, you go. I'm tired."

"Oh, fine. I'm hungry, anyway." Keroro left, shaking his head. Giroro slumped down on Kururu's bed. It had been two days since his friend was stabilized, but he had been beginning to think that he wouldn't wake up. He felt Kururu grab his hand. Normally he'd pull away, but he hadn't the heart this time.

"Well, welcome back to the world of the living, Kururu Socho."

"Meh, no big thing. Ku, ku, ku..." Giroro laughed with him. He had gotten his little brother back. Next time, he'd keep a closer eye on him.


End file.
